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Maybe if BTN goes bankrupt we will be able to see the local games on another network that we are already paying for. That would be my hope.

The argument for why we needed BTN in the first place was so that they could televise more of the "less popular" sports. I don't see the softball and volleyball fans rising up to protest the loss of BTN. What we really got was double-charged for the popular sports of basketball and football. If ESPN+ came back, I'd be pretty happy. Yeah, there were a handful of games not televised, but it didn't ruin my life to have to do yard work instead of watching another game (and unpopular games are almost always blowouts anyway). But the days of ESPN+ are probably over.

I have nothing against BTN. I just wish these fringe channels charged fringe prices.

That's funny. Last year BTN distributed nearly $8 million to EACH of the Big 10 schools. Sounds like its profit margin is fine.

Frankly, I don't care who's at fault here. Both Dish and BTN are screwing their customers.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Dish doesn't need BTN nearly as much as BTN needs Dish. Profit margins are thin. Advertising revenue is viewer-based, and denying a significant number of viewers a single game will hurt BTN in the pocketbook. And then the per-subscriber fees they were getting disappear, too. The only thing they can do is cut costs (original programming) or cave.

The argument for why we needed BTN in the first place was so that they could televise more of the "less popular" sports. I don't see the softball and volleyball fans rising up to protest the loss of BTN. What we really got was double-charged for the popular sports of basketball and football. If ESPN+ came back, I'd be pretty happy. Yeah, there were a handful of games not televised, but it didn't ruin my life to have to do yard work instead of watching another game (and unpopular games are almost always blowouts anyway). But the days of ESPN+ are probably over.

I have nothing against BTN. I just wish these fringe channels charged fringe prices.

Exactly. It's my fear that if DISH and DirecTV (and the cable providers) start buckling to the demands of BTN and Pac12 Network, EVERY conference is going to want a network, and FREE broadcasts of college sports is going to be a thing of the past.

Exactly. It's my fear that if DISH and DirecTV (and the cable providers) start buckling to the demands of BTN and Pac12 Network, EVERY conference is going to want a network, and FREE broadcasts of college sports is going to be a thing of the past.

Despite that fear, there is more "free" (OTA) college sports on than there ever was. All the big conferences have OTA deals as well as cable/satellite deals. There is actually more Big Ten sports on OTA than there was before BTN as part of the ABC/ESPN contract.

I have the B10 in the 200 package and watch sometimes in football and mostly in basketball. When in AZ I have to pay for the regional package ($9/mo) to see the basketball games as I am in another region then. Looks like I'll save some money this next year.

The B10 should not have turned off it's customers. Too bad.

I told the Big Ten Network that I was suspending all donations to one of the B10 schools until they turned us back on; told the school that also. Not much money, but their greed is starting to get to me. So screw 'um.

Dish should renegotiate with ESPN and get some of the sd channels turned on to HD and let the B10 swing.

Directv seems to get in spats with channels all the time, but they rarely seem to lose them. I recall the viacom dispute a few months ago. Dish, on the other hand, still doesn't have AMC.

I care about BTN a teeny, tiny little bit. I can imagine a snowy Saturday when I'd like to watch a Gophers game and missing it because of this. Or a basketball game, if they're playing well. But otherwise, forget about it.

I think the reason everyone assumes BTN is to blame is because they are publicly insisting that they are not to blame. And because their complaints do not say, "We offered to continue providing our programming to the same packages at the same rates and Dish said no." In other words, BTN has demanded an increase, and there's no reason to think Dish would turn down a reasonable (under 5 cents/sub) request. If the numbers were that low, BTN would be announcing it loudly.

DirecTV does seem to settle these things quite quickly. The Viacom thing was quite surprising when it happened. But if you look, DirecTV is also more expensive for identical programming than Dish, and that is in part because DirecTV errs on the side of programming over price. Dish holds the line hard on price and is willing to kiss unreasonable programmers goodbye. In essence, Dish is doing the heavy lifting of keeping prices down.

I assume BTN was asking for more money. In fact, that has to be the case. The question is, how much? And was it reasonable? Is Dish's claim that BTN wanted 1/3 more than its deal with other providers true? It seems hard to believe -- why would BTN want more from Dish? I doubt Dish is using a true apples to apples comparison when making that claim. It's not in BTN's interest to just screw with Dish.

If BTN's product outgrew the previous price Dish was paying, then I would expect BTN (or any company in its situation) not to agree to extend the current deal indefinitely. If it did that, Dish would have no incentive to reach a new deal and would, in essence, get the benefit of the old, outdated price indefinitely. So I don't know who's really to blame regarding the blackout.

To me, it all comes down to reasonableness. Was the rate increase that BTN demanded reasonable? As to this, I have no idea.

I care about BTN a teeny, tiny little bit. I can imagine a snowy Saturday when I'd like to watch a Gophers game and missing it because of this. Or a basketball game, if they're playing well. But otherwise, forget about it.

I think the reason everyone assumes BTN is to blame is because they are publicly insisting that they are not to blame. And because their complaints do not say, "We offered to continue providing our programming to the same packages at the same rates and Dish said no." In other words, BTN has demanded an increase, and there's no reason to think Dish would turn down a reasonable (under 5 cents/sub) request. If the numbers were that low, BTN would be announcing it loudly.

DirecTV does seem to settle these things quite quickly. The Viacom thing was quite surprising when it happened. But if you look, DirecTV is also more expensive for identical programming than Dish, and that is in part because DirecTV errs on the side of programming over price. Dish holds the line hard on price and is willing to kiss unreasonable programmers goodbye. In essence, Dish is doing the heavy lifting of keeping prices down.

This is not a DirecTV vs Dish thread... but having said that, this is a BAD thread to be bringing up DirecTV.

Dish lost BTN, but signed with PAC-12.
DirecTV still has BTN, but thus far has failed to sign PAC-12.

So on an apples to apples comparison... I'd say on this one particular situation (college leagues launching their own networks) Dish and DirecTV have the same record.

Further.. Dish was the first to sign with BTN 5 years ago... similarly Dish was the first to sign with PAC-12... so if you give a nod to a small margin, Dish technically has the upper hand on this particular scenario.

Most of the time you'd be right... that DirecTV seems to have less disputes... but they seem to be getting smarter and joining the fray in fighting the channels... so I expect to see DirecTV more like Dish in the coming months and years.

BTN only uses the alt channels for football. They charge $15 to watch other big 10 sports online per month!!! This is why I like how the PAC12 network has done it so far. 3 soccer and 3 volleyball games the past 2 nights. 1 on the main feed and 2 on the alternates. BTN you'd get 1 game and the other 2 would only be online. I hope Dish has this issue in the contract dispute.

Most of the time you'd be right... that DirecTV seems to have less disputes... but they seem to be getting smarter and joining the fray in fighting the channels... so I expect to see DirecTV more like Dish in the coming months and years.

That's one way to look at it. I'd say DirecTV has been smarter about it all along...hence the lack of lasting disputes and legal battles by comparison.

"Big Ten Network (BTN) and DISH have reached an agreement that returns BTN to the DISH channel lineup. We're pleased that both sides could eventually come together, and we thank fans for their patience."

No Uplink Activity yet to restore the channels ... but that is good news.

ENGLEWOOD, CO -- (Marketwire) -- 09/22/12 -- DISH Network L.L.C. (NASDAQ: DISH) announced today that it has reached a new, multi-year agreement with FOX, part owner of Big Ten Network, for the rights to resume broadcast of Big Ten Network and its coverage of college football games and other sports content.

The agreement makes the BTN broadcasts available on DISH in time for today's games. DISH customers have not received the channel since Sept. 14 when a contract between the two companies expired.

"With BTN in our portfolio, and with the recent addition of Pac-12 Networks, we now offer more college sports than any other pay-TV provider in America," said Dave Shull, DISH's senior vice president of programming. "We think our customers will be delighted that they can watch all Big Ten games this weekend and for years to come; and we are proud to offer our channel lineup at the lowest everyday prices in the industry."

BTN is available on channel 439 in DISH's America's Top 120+ package in most areas of states with Big Ten Conference schools. The channel is also available nationwide in DISH's Multi-Sport Pack for $9 per month with a qualifying core package.